# Columbia Crest Two Vines Merlot (2009)



## Desertlifter (Feb 22, 2011)

So I have a need to taste a vino and no audience tonight. So here you are dear reader...

Background - I'm a long-time oenophile. So much so that I moved to my current residence due to its location in the middle of the 2nd largest wine growing region in the country. If you're into wine, read on. If not, read on anyway if you care. This will be a quasi-geeked out review....

Columbia Crest | 2009 Two Vines Merlot is a young estate merlot that is at least partially typical of its ilk in the United States. More on that in a bit. Columbia Crest is one of my preferred wineries in Washington State due to consistently high quality and bang-for-your buck. There are way too many decent to good Cabernets out there commanding prices upward of $40 a bottle. At Columbia Crest that will pay for a couple of bottles - often even a reserve and a standard issue. The facility itself is one of the nicer ones in the area, sitting at the southern end of state route 221 near the Columbia (go figure) River south of Prosser.

On we go. This merlot presents with a nice deep berry color in the glass with little variance. The wine is obviously young on corking as evinced by the peppery nose and lack of anything approaching a tannin ring - not that one is to be expected with this young a wine. It sits in the glass with little or no legs - even light in that area for a merlot. This actually bodes well for the wine as I will discuss further shortly....

The wine carries a berry-laden nose with few other notes, particularly after airing out for a few minutes. The nose itself is delicate and even subtle, which fits with the merlot varietal - even in the U.S. with our issues with homogenizing varietals into a Franken-wine.

The berry flavors carry to the taste, with very light blackberry and raspberry notes. There is a fair amount of pepper from a mid to high tannin level in this wine that should age out well within about 2-3 years, but it doesn't overwhelm the wine too much for sipping now unless one is trained to an "if it isn't raisiny, it's too young" French palate. The lack of significant leg carries through the tasting as there is little evaporation of alcohols while tasting the wine.

Character for the merlot fits its varietal, which is often the problem that I have twice alluded to above. American wines trend to popular varietals quite strongly, which translates in Washington State to lighter varietals like Merlots and Pinot Noirs being beefed up to more resemble complex Cabernets that are the foundation of the appellation in which I live. This isn't a state affliction as the other wine centers in California, New York, and Texas are equally guilty of this syndrome. Not only does it detract from the variability of varietals (heh) but it erases any sense of terroir likely to be taken away from drinking U.S. wines. This is a good thing for quality control but bad for individualism. Merlots are likely the worst offended of varietals in WA state, with merlots often being blended with Cab-Sauv and Cab-Franc grapes.

A bit of age on this wine will let the less complex and fruity merlot shine. It is worth a taste now and would pair well with food as its tannins would carry the wine through even heavier fare. Wine Spectator rates is an 86, which is a bit unkind. Two Vines merlot is well-suited to warmer weather and outdoor place settings, and given a couple of years to balance its tannins should show well.


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## Evonnida (Jun 1, 2010)

I've just started enjoying red wines... Mainly blends and Zins, but I've been looking for a good Merlot. Do you know if this is available outside of Washington?


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## Desertlifter (Feb 22, 2011)

Evonnida said:


> I've just started enjoying red wines... Mainly blends and Zins, but I've been looking for a good Merlot. Do you know if this is available outside of Washington?


Through online vendors, yes. Locally I couldn't say. Columbia Crest has wide distribution - which many do not. Costco carries them, although I don't know how they operate on a national level for their wines.


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## tpharkman (Feb 20, 2010)

Evonnida said:


> I've just started enjoying red wines... Mainly blends and Zins, but I've been looking for a good Merlot. Do you know if this is available outside of Washington?


I consider this to be a "national brand". It should be readily available almost anywhere which sells wine. I just enjoyed a bottle of their Amitage and for $10 it was a very nice red blend which settled down the longer the bottle was opened.

Thanks for the review. Which of the higher end Columbia Crest offerings do you suggest Brian?


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## Desertlifter (Feb 22, 2011)

tpharkman said:


> I consider this to be a "national brand". It should be readily available almost anywhere which sells wine. I just enjoyed a bottle of their Amitage and for $10 it was a very nice red blend which settled down the longer the bottle was opened.
> 
> Thanks for the review. Which of the higher end Columbia Crest offerings do you suggest Brian?


Any of their Walter Clore blends are good buys and bound to impress. I actually prefer their reserve cabs - 2008 was great, and 2004 (if you can find it) was epic, IMO. For whites I prefer their Gewurtztraminer, a grape that I feel doesn't get enough press. Nicely complex but light enough for just about any occasion.

My favorites - if you can find them outside the valley - come from Hinzerling Winery which is kind of the home for WA state wines. Mike Wallace is the business, and his wines define terroir. Then you try his ports....


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